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Podcast #3 – The Politics of the Eurovision Song Contest

For our third podcast we were lucky enough to be joined by Adam Ward, who is writing a thesis on state legislatures in the United States. Today Adam turned his mind to an even more complex political scene: the Eurovision Song Contest. You can listen here.

This article discusses the controversal flag ban at this year’s contest. Banned flags include those of Wales, Palestine, the Basque country, Northern Cyprus, Crimea and Isis. The rainbow flag can still be waved, but not in a ‘political’ way…

Here is Ukraine’s potentially controversial entry, Jamala’s ‘1944’:

You can read another take on the politics of the Eurovision Song Contest here, including a terrifying story about voters within Azerbaijan who had voted for Armenia (with whom Azerbaijan disputes the Nagorno-Karabakh region) being tracked down by their country’s secret police.

Here is France’s tear-jerking World War I ballad from 2015, performed by Lisa Angell:

Adam discusses the reasons why the UK hasn’t been successful since 1997, when Katrina and the Waves won the contest with ‘Love Shine A Light’:

Adam’s favourites for this year are France’s Amir, with ‘J’ai Cherché’:

And Spain, with Barei’s ‘Say Yay!’:

Australia’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest might be controversial, but here’s their entry anyway! Vote early, vote often.